Alyssa Rachael Toner

Monday

Mar 4, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Born Baby Wagner on March 26, 1988, into our arms March 29, 1988, adopted as Alyssa Rachael Toner Jan. 10, 1989. A gift from God for us to cherish and hold through thick and thin, through sickness and joy, left to be with her Lord Jesus on March 2, 2013.

She had an amazing gift for music. Alyssa graduated in 2006 from Notre Dame High School in East Stroudsburg, where she participated in musicals, chorus, jazz band and coffee houses. She was a pianist for Neola United Methodist Church, Believers-n-Friends, and sang with the Pleasant Valley Choral Society. She graduated from Susquehanna University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature, where she sang with the University Chorale and Christmas/Spring concerts.

She liked to do karaoke with friends. She played several instruments: the guitar, piano, clarinet and trumpet. She played keyboard and sang in a band called The McBuffets. She also sang the National Anthem for community events.

She loved animals, stuffed animals, jokes and puns. Alyssa was engaged to be married in September 2014 to Matt Serpico and was happily planning a wedding, along with planning to be a bridesmaid for her friend, Adrienne Burger's wedding in October 2013. Alyssa loved adventures and traveled to the Grand Canyon, San Diego, Chesapeake Bay, Outer Banks, Maine and Florida.

She is survived by her parents, Terence and Ruthanne Toner; her grandparents, Ruth and Richard Klase; her aunts and uncle, Eileen Klase, Brenda Makar, and Carolyn and Jeff Andreas; her cousins, Lindsay and Josh Andreas and Christine Makar; and her great-aunts and -uncle, Bea Collier and Lynn and Dick Seip.

Faith Christian School and Pleasant Valley schools were a part of her childhood, along with Pleasant Valley Presbyterian's Kids Club, Easter Sunday trumpet and a commitment to join the church at a very young age.

Alyssa helped her dad on handyman projects. She was Jesus to many friends that needed help, trying to make a difference in other people's lives by listening.

If you want to make a contribution in Alyssa's memory, please donate to a church youth group.

A Celebration of Alyssa's Life will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at Stroudsburg United Methodist Church, 547 Main St., Stroudsburg.